1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved carabiner. More particularly, the present invention relates to carabiners configured to prevent cross-loading thereof during use, and methods of fabricating such carabiners.
2. State of the Art
Carabiners are used for various applications in many different activities. Carabiners are typically associated with outdoor recreational activities, such as rock climbing, mountaineering, and mountain rescue work. However, carabiners are also employed in many other applications such as rescue work in urban and industrial settings, safety restraints in urban and industrial settings, law enforcement work, military applications.
Generally, a carabiner includes a ring or C-shaped body having a gate which may be opened to insert a rope, sling, or a belay/rappel device (e.g., a figure eight device or another belay/rappel device). The gate is shut, typically, by a spring which urges the gate closed. Often times, the gate may be further secured in a closed position by a locking mechanism which locks the gate to prevent unintended opening thereof.
Typically, a carabiner having an elongated shape, such as an oval or a D-shape, exhibits different load carrying capacities in different directions. FIG. 1 shows a carabiner 100 having a generally C-shaped body 102 and a gate 104 secured at one end region 110 of the C-shaped body 102. The gate 104 may be pivoted to open as shown in FIG. 1. The load carrying capacity of the carabiner 100 is greatest along its major axis 106, while exhibiting a reduced carrying capacity along its minor axis 108 (i.e., when cross-loaded). The carabiner 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 is depicted having a screw locking mechanism 112 that may be used to lock the gate 104 when closed.
The carabiner 100 may rotate during use, causing loading to occur primarily along its weaker, minor axis 108. Even worse, the gate 104 may be significantly loaded along the minor axis 108, causing the gate 104 to break and the carabiner 100 to fail. Many potentially unsafe scenarios may arise when using a traditional carabiner, if care is not taken. For instance, with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, one potentially hazardous scenario is shown using the example of a climber rappelling with a figure eight device. Referring to FIG. 2, a climber wearing a climbing harness 114 having a waist belt 116 and leg loops 118 is illustrated. The leg loops 118 and the waist belt 116 are attached together with belay loop 119. The conventional locking carabiner 100 (shown in FIG. 1) having a figure eight device 122 attached thereto is attached to the belay loop 119. A rope 124 is threaded through the figure eight device 122 in a manner to enable a controlled rappel by the climber. The proper use of the figure eight device 122 is depicted in FIG. 2, wherein the carabiner 100 is loaded during rappelling primarily along its major axis 106. However, as shown in FIG. 3, the carabiner 100 may rotate in the belay loop 119 either during belaying or rappelling to cause the figure eight device 122 to not only load the carabiner 100 along its minor axis 108, but to have the figure eight device 122 bear directly against the screw locking mechanism 112 and the gate 104. The loading situations depicted in FIG. 3 may cause the screw locking mechanism 112, the gate 104, or both to break, potentially having catastrophic consequences for the climber if the rope is disconnected from the carabiner 100. At the very least, the carabiner 100 is oriented such that it is loaded along its weaker axis (i.e., the minor axis 108).
An attempt to prevent a conventional carabiner from being cross-loaded is disclosed in European Patent Application EP 0976936 assigned to DMM Engineering Limited of Great Britain. The carabiners disclosed in EP 0976936 are sold by DMM International and are called the DMM “Belay Master.” The DMM Belay Master carabiner is illustrated in FIGS. 4A-4D. Referring to FIG. 4A, a carabiner 126 having a generally C-shaped body 128, a gate 130 with a locking mechanism 138, and a lateral support member 132 is shown. A spring mechanism (not shown) urges the gate 130 to rotate in direction 136 about pin 134 to close. The gate 130 is shown closed in FIG. 4B, wherein the locking mechanism 138 is moved upward in direction 140 and screwed in direction 142 to securely lock the locking mechanism 138. As shown in FIG. 4C, the lateral support member 132 is then rotated about a portion of the C-shaped body 128 and snapped over the gate 130 including the locking mechanism 138 to create a so-called “captive eye” opening 144 at the bottom of the carabiner 126 and an opening 150 at the top thereof.
The lateral support member 132 assists with preventing the carabiner 126 from rotating when it is secured to another object. FIG. 4D illustrates the captive eye opening 144 of carabiner 126 attached to a belay loop 146 of a climbing harness and a rope 148 threaded through the opening 150 of the carabiner 126 and a belay/rappel device 152. The lateral support member 132 prevents the carabiner 126 from rotating in the belay loop 146 to an orientation such that it may be cross-loaded along its minor axis. Furthermore, because the lateral support member 132 covers the gate 130, it is difficult for another object (e.g., another carabiner, figure eight device, etc.) to bear directly against the gate 130. While the lateral support member 132 of the DMM Belay Master carabiner reduces the ability of the carabiner to become cross-loaded during use, the gate 130 cannot be opened unless the lateral support member 132 is disengaged. If the user has to open the gate 130, he or she must disengage the lateral support member 132 and unscrew the locking mechanism 138. This takes valuable additional time for the user and eliminates the beneficial captive eye opening 144. Another disadvantage with the DMM Belay Master carabiner is the lateral support member 132 is formed from a weaker, plastic-type of material.
Another attempt to prevent cross-loading of a carabiner is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication US2003/0167608 assigned to Zedel of Crolles, France (hereinafter “the '608 Application”). Referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B, the carabiner 154 disclosed in the '608 Application is shown. In FIG. 5A, the carabiner 154 is depicted having a generally C-shaped body 156 and a gate 158 that may pivot about pin 164. The locking mechanism 160 has a lateral support member 162 extending therefrom to bear against an opposing portion 174 of the C-shaped body 156. When the gate 158 is closed and the lateral support member 162 is engaged, a captive eye opening 172 is created at the bottom of the carabiner 154. Referring to FIG. 5B, in order to open the carabiner 154, the locking mechanism 160 must be released and rotated in direction 170. However, as with the DMM Belay Master (shown in FIGS. 4A-4D), in order to open the gate of the carabiner 154, the lateral support member 162 must be disengaged, thus, eliminating the captive eye opening 172. Furthermore, there is a potential danger that a climber may inadvertently sandwich the belay loop of a climbing harness between the body 156 of the carabiner 154 and the lateral support member 162, having potentially disastrous consequences.
Accordingly, there is a need for a carabiner having a captive eye opening and, optionally, wherein the gate of the carabiner may be opened without eliminating the captive eye opening.